[Batch]Looping until a key is pressed

Question

what I want to do here is loop until "x" is pressed. I am aware of CHOICE with the /T option.

But CHOICE has too long of a timeout for a animation that I want to play. Here is a example :

@echo off
cls
set frame=2
:loop
cls
type [%frame%].txt
[Here is where it would test for the keystroke.If keystroke "x" is detected,goto MENU. If not pressed within a quick second,continue.]
set /a frame=%frame%+1
goto loop

note: The frames are for a animation,so do keep in mind that the timeout must be rather quick.

Answer 1

This is an old worlde solution but using Windows certutil to create an executable that is stored within the batch file - and the executable exits the loop when the spacebar is pressed.

Most people would consider it a tad risky because the executable could do anything, and you'd have to blindly trust me not to damage your PC. Still, I added it here as an alternative and You could always compile the executable yourself and create the certutil script with it.

The script below is a PureBasic script that just creates a zero byte file if the spacebar is pressed.

OpenConsole() 
String$ = Inkey()
If string$=" " 
  CreateFile(0, "quit.tmp")
  EndIf

This batch file below creates a quit.exe file that I compiled from the script above, and shows how quit.exe can be used within a loop.

It will do nothing until the spacebar is pressed, and will then exit the loop.

@echo off
call :create_quit.exe
:loop
quit
if exist quit.tmp del quit.tmp & goto :exit
goto :loop
:exit
echo reached the end
del quit.exe
pause
goto :EOF


:create_quit.exe
(
echo(-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
echo(TVqQAAMAAAAEAAAA//8AALgAAAAAAAAAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgAAAAA4fug4AtAnNIbgBTM0hVGhpcyBwcm9ncmFtIGNhbm5v
echo(dCBiZSBydW4gaW4gRE9TIG1vZGUuDQ0KJAAAAAAAAABQRQAATAEEAI1z2VUAAAAA
echo(AAAAAOAADwELAQIyAAwAAAAIAAAAAAAAABAAAAAQAAAAMAAAAABAAAAQAAAAAgAA
echo(BAAAAAAAAAAEAAAAAAAAAABQAAAABAAAAAAAAAMAAAAAABAAABAAAAAAEAAAEAAA
echo(AAAAABAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAwAAA8AAAAAEAAALwCAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAADYMAAAXAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAC5jb2RlAAAA
echo(rQAAAAAQAAAAAgAAAAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAAAGAudGV4dAAAALYIAAAAIAAA
echo(AAoAAAAGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgAABgLmRhdGEAAABIAwAAADAAAAAEAAAAEAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQAAAwC5yc3JjAAAAvAIAAABAAAAABAAAABQAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAEAAAEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGgQAAAAaAAAAABoyDJAAOjsDwAAg8QMaAAAAADo5Q8A
echo(AKPMMkAAaAAAAABoABAAAGgAAAAA6NIPAACjyDJAAOh8FgAA6KcQAADo1RUAAIsV
echo(5DJAAFJS/xU8MEAAaNQyQADo2hYAAP811DJAALoeMEAAWehJFwAAdA9oIDBAAGgA
echo(AAAA6AgSAABoAAAAAOgVAAAA6HkWAAD/NcgyQADocA8AAOhxDwAA6DQQAADDAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(/yXYMEAA/yXgMEAA/yXkMEAA/yXoMEAA/yXsMEAA/yXwMEAA/yX0MEAA/yX4MEAA
echo(UVaLdCQMM8CJRCQEOUYUdSSLTggrTgyLVgRQjUQkCFCLBlFSUP8V/DBAAItOCItE
echo(JASJTgxeWcIEAMzMzMzMzFeLfCQIg///dQ+h6DJAAF+JRCQE6c0CAACLDegyQABW
echo(V1HocgMAAIvwhfZ0NIN+BAB0GFboh////4tWBKHIMkAAUmoAUP8V9DBAAIsOUf8V
echo(ADFAAIsV6DJAAFdS6F0DAABeX8IEAMzMzMzMzMzMzMyh6DJAAFDoawIAAMPMzMzM
echo(aHAgQABqEGoY6GsDAACj6DJAAMPMzMzMzMzMzMzMzMyLRCQEiw3oMkAAU1VWV1BR
echo(6F8CAACLfCQci9iD/wF1LjPA9kQkIAF0AovHi1QkGGoAaIAAAABqA2oAUGgAAACA
echo(Uv8VBDFAAIvw6ZwAAACD/wJ1NopMJCAzwPbBAXQDjUf/9sECdAODyANqAGiAAAAA
echo(agRqAFCLRCQsaAAAAMBQ/xUEMUAAi/DrYYP/A3VYikQkIDP/qAF0Bb8BAAAAqAJ0
echo(A4PPAotMJBiLLQQxQABqAGiAAAAAagJqAFdoAAAAwFH/1Yvwg/7/dUGLVCQYagBq
echo(AGoFagBXaAAAAEBS/9WLfCQci/DrBIt0JByD/v91H4N8JBT/dQ2LFegyQABTUugb
echo(AgAAX15dM8Bbw4t8JBwz7Tv1dNuhODBAADvFdBr2RCQgBHUTUKHIMkAAVVD/FfAw
echo(QACJQwTrA4lrBIkziw04MEAAiUsIiWsMx0MUAQAAAIP/AnUR9kQkIAh0CldVVVb/
echo(FQgxQACDfCQU/3UHX15di8Nbw1+Lxl5dW8PMzMzMzMyLRCQEiw3oMkAAU1VWV1BR
echo(6N8AAACLXCQYiy0EMUAAagBogAAAAGoCagBqAWgAAADAU4v4/9WL8IP+/3UZagBq
echo(AGoFagBqAWgAAABAU//Vi/CD/v90UzPbO/N0TaE4MEAAO8N0FIsVyDJAAFBTUv8V
echo(8DBAAIlHBOsDiV8Eg3wkFP+JN6E4MEAAiUcIiV8Mx0cUAQAAAHUJi8dfXl1bwggA
echo(X4vGXl1bwggAg3wkFP91DYsN6DJAAFdR6OEAAABfXl0zwFvCCABVi+xWi3UIg34U
echo(AHQcVuhJAQAA6wb/dQj/VhSNRQhQVuhcAQAAhcB17F5dwgQAU4tcJAyD+/91F4tE
echo(JAiLCIPBCFGDwBBQ6IkBAABZWetgVot0JAxXO14IfCCLRgQDw4lGCMHgAlD/dgxq
echo(CP81yDJAAP8VDDFAAIlGDItGDIv7gzy4AHQMi0YUhcB0G1P/0OsW/zZqCP81yDJA
echo(AP8V8DBAAItODIkEuYtGDIsEuF9eW8IIAItEJAiFwHgRi0wkBDtBCH0Gi0kMiwSB
echo(hcB0B4M4AHUCM8DCCACLRCQIi0wkBIXAeCA7QQh9G4tRDI0EgoM4AHQc/zFqAP8w
echo(6Kv7//+DxAzrDFCDwRBR6PMAAABZWcIIAFZXiz3wMEAAaiBqCP81yDJAAP/Xi/CL
echo(RCQMg2YQAIkGi0QkFIlGFItEJBCJRgSJRgjB4AJQagj/NcgyQAD/14lGDF+Lxl7C
echo(DACLRCQEi0gQM9KJUBiJSBw7ynQPORF0C1aLCYlIHDkRdfdewgQAi0wkBFeLfCQM
echo(M8BWi1EYhdJ4IjtRCH0di3EMjTSWgz4AdAuLNoM+AHQEi8aJF/9BGIXAdNdehcB1
echo(FYtRHIXSdA6NQgiJB4tRHItSBIlRHF/CCAD/dCQIagj/NcgyQAD/FfAwQACFwHQT
echo(i0wkBIsRhdJ0B4lCBIsRiRCJAYPACMOLRCQIi0wkBIPoCIsQOQF1DokRiwiFyXQX
echo(g2EEAOsRi0gEiRGLCIXJdAaLUASJUQRQagD/NcgyQAD/FfQwQADDg3wkBAJ1BegE
echo(6///M8DCBACDPRowQAAAdQb/FRAxQABWizUUMUAAavb/1mr1o+wyQAD/1mr0o/Ay
echo(QAD/1mj0MkAA/zXwMkAAowwzQAD/FRgxQABqAWiXJUAA/xUcMUAAg3wkCAB0Cv90
echo(JAj/FSAxQACLNSQxQABoEDNAAP/WaCgzQAD/1jPAQF7CBABqAOh+////w1WL7IPs
echo(IFaNRfhQ/zXsMkAAM/YhNdwyQAD/FSgxQACFwHROVzP/OXX4dkWNRfRQagGNReBQ
echo(/zXsMkAA/xUsMUAAhcB0DGaDfeABdQU5deR1CEc7ffhy1OsXikXuD7dN6ohF/4kN
echo(3DJAAITAdAMz9kZf/3UIVuhLAQAAhfZ0BYpN/4gIxgQwAF7JwgQAzMzMzMzMzMzM
echo(VYvsagBoABAAAGoA/xXkMEAAo0AzQADHBeQyQAAAAAAAxwVEM0AAEAAAAKFEM0AA
echo(UGoAiw1AM0AAUf8V8DBAAKM0MEAAXcPMzMzMzMzMzMxVi+yhNDBAAFBqAIsNQDNA
echo(AFH/FfQwQACLFUAzQABS/xXoMEAAXcPMzMzMzMzMzMxVi+xRoeQyQAArRQyJRfyL
echo(TQiDOQB1HItV/IPCBVJqAKFAM0AAUP8V8DBAAItNCIkB6yGLVfyDwgVSi0UIiwhR
echo(agCLFUAzQABS/xUMMUAAi00IiQGLVfxSoTQwQAADRQxQi00IixFS6MQAAACLRQyj
echo(5DJAAIvlXcIIAMzMzMzMzAnSdQW6KTBAAAnJdQW5KTBAAIoiQooBQTjEdQwI5HXy
echo(uAEAAACFwMMxwIXAw8zMzFWL7IPsCKHkMkAAA0UIiUX4iw1EM0AAg+kEOU34fDOL
echo(VfiBwgBAAACJFUQzQAChRDNAAIPABVCLDTQwQABRagCLFUAzQABS/xUMMUAAozQw
echo(QAChNDBAAANFDIlF/ItNDANNCIkN5DJAAItF/IvlXcIIAMzMzMzMzMzMzMzMzMzM
echo(VYvsUYtFCANFEIlF/IN9EAB+J4tNCItVDIsCiQGLTQiDwQSJTQiLVQyDwgSJVQyL
echo(RRCD6ASJRRDr04tN/MYBAIvlXcIMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/////AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQAAACAA
echo(cXVpdC50bXAAAJCQAAAAAP////8AAAAAABAAACsmQAB8MAAAAAAAAAAAAAA+MQAA
echo(2DAAAIQwAAAAAAAAAAAAALgxAADgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA0MQAA
echo(AAAAAEoxAABeMQAAbDEAAHoxAACIMQAAlDEAAKAxAADGMQAA0jEAAOAxAADuMQAA
echo(ADIAAA4yAAAeMgAALjIAAEwyAABkMgAAeDIAAJQyAAC0MgAAAAAAADQxAAAAAAAA
echo(SjEAAF4xAABsMQAAejEAAIgxAACUMQAAoDEAAMYxAADSMQAA4DEAAO4xAAAAMgAA
echo(DjIAAB4yAAAuMgAATDIAAGQyAAB4MgAAlDIAALQyAAAAAAAAmQJtZW1zZXQAAE1T
echo(VkNSVC5kbGwAAPcBR2V0TW9kdWxlSGFuZGxlQQAApAJIZWFwQ3JlYXRlAAClAkhl
echo(YXBEZXN0cm95AAUBRXhpdFByb2Nlc3MAogJIZWFwQWxsb2MApgJIZWFwRnJlZQAA
echo(zgNTZXRDdXJyZW50RGlyZWN0b3J5QQAAS0VSTkVMMzIuZGxsAACXBFdyaXRlRmls
echo(ZQBEAENsb3NlSGFuZGxlAHkAQ3JlYXRlRmlsZUEA5wNTZXRGaWxlUG9pbnRlcgAA
echo(qQJIZWFwUmVBbGxvYwAPAEFsbG9jQ29uc29sZQAAPgJHZXRTdGRIYW5kbGUAAJwB
echo(R2V0Q29uc29sZVNjcmVlbkJ1ZmZlckluZm8AAK8DU2V0Q29uc29sZUN0cmxIYW5k
echo(bGVyAMkDU2V0Q29uc29sZVRpdGxlQQAAuQJJbml0aWFsaXplQ3JpdGljYWxTZWN0
echo(aW9uABICR2V0TnVtYmVyT2ZDb25zb2xlSW5wdXRFdmVudHMAYwNSZWFkQ29uc29s
echo(ZUlucHV0QQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAjXPZVQAAAAAAAAEA
echo(GAAAABgAAIAAAAAAjXPZVQAAAAAAAAEAAQAAADAAAIAAAAAAjXPZVQAAAAAAAAEA
echo(CQQAAEgAAABYQAAAYwIAAAAAAAAAAAAAPD94bWwgdmVyc2lvbj0iMS4wIiBlbmNv
echo(ZGluZz0iVVRGLTgiIHN0YW5kYWxvbmU9InllcyI/Pgo8YXNzZW1ibHkgeG1sbnM9
echo(InVybjpzY2hlbWFzLW1pY3Jvc29mdC1jb206YXNtLnYxIiBtYW5pZmVzdFZlcnNp
echo(b249IjEuMCI+CiAgPGFzc2VtYmx5SWRlbnRpdHkKICAgIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMC4w
echo(LjAiCiAgICBwcm9jZXNzb3JBcmNoaXRlY3R1cmU9Ilg4NiIKICAgIG5hbWU9IkNv
echo(bXBhbnlOYW1lLlByb2R1Y3ROYW1lLllvdXJBcHAiCiAgICB0eXBlPSJ3aW4zMiIg
echo(Lz4KICA8ZGVzY3JpcHRpb24+PC9kZXNjcmlwdGlvbj4KICA8ZGVwZW5kZW5jeT4K
echo(ICAgIDxkZXBlbmRlbnRBc3NlbWJseT4KICAgICAgPGFzc2VtYmx5SWRlbnRpdHkK
echo(ICAgICAgICB0eXBlPSJ3aW4zMiIKICAgICAgICBuYW1lPSJNaWNyb3NvZnQuV2lu
echo(ZG93cy5Db21tb24tQ29udHJvbHMiCiAgICAgICAgdmVyc2lvbj0iNi4wLjAuMCIK
echo(ICAgICAgICBwcm9jZXNzb3JBcmNoaXRlY3R1cmU9Ilg4NiIKICAgICAgICBwdWJs
echo(aWNLZXlUb2tlbj0iNjU5NWI2NDE0NGNjZjFkZiIKICAgICAgICBsYW5ndWFnZT0i
echo(KiIgLz4KICAgIDwvZGVwZW5kZW50QXNzZW1ibHk+CiAgPC9kZXBlbmRlbmN5PgoK
echo(PC9hc3NlbWJseT4AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
echo(-----END CERTIFICATE-----
)>"quit.exe.decode"
certutil /decode /f "quit.exe.decode" "quit.exe" >nul
del "quit.exe.decode"